Popular YouTube poker pro and gambler Ryan Depaulo might have a new career option. In his most recent vlog dropped on YouTube, he showed off his innate skills, and his absolute passion, for bounty hunting.
At the end of last year, Poker.org gave someone a PokerStars Platinum Pass as part of our Runner Runner promotion. He had to survive for a few weeks without being caught, traveling and playing cards, dropping videos laden with clues, and becoming the most sought-after poker player on the planet. If someone caught him and said the phrase, "How do you feel about rabbit hunting?", the Platinum Pass went to that hard-working bounty hunter.
Depaulo wanted to be that bounty hunter.
Bounty hunting in Vegas
With just over a day left in Vegas, Depaulo was down a cool $14k. He could grind a couple of tournaments to try and save his trip. Or, he could hook up with his buddy Matt Waxman, who had put in a ton of work tracking down the Runner, to get a piece of the $30,000 Platinum Pass. In true Depaulo fashion, he said, 'why not both?'
Early in the contest, Waxman had done what very few had done. He identified the location of the Runner's first video drop and pulled security footage from that gas station. He was looking at the face of the Platinum Pass holder. The only problem was, Waxman didn't know who it was. That's where Depaulo got into the game.
"We're gonna f*ckin' hunt," said Depaulo as the team convened in the Vegas hotel room. "As soon as I see his face, I'm like, that's Slow Poker." He was spot on, our Runner was indeed fellow popular vlogger Slow Poker. With about a day left before the contest was over, the boys knew who their target was, and they knew he was in Vegas, they just needed to find him. Easier said than done.
The gang headed to Bellagio, Resorts World, MGM, Venetian, Caesers, The Wynn, back to Bellagio, and Bally's, following their hunches and keeping their eyes peeled for Slow Poker along the way. "This is fun as fuck," said a sleuthing Depaulo. "I want to do this all the time. We got to find this guy."
How do you feel about rabbit hunting?
Along the way, he spoke to random people on the street, spewing the secret phase. "How do you feel about rabbit hunting?" asked Depaulo repeatedly. "Not him." None of the random casino visitors, poker players, the unassuming homeless man, none of which resembled Slow Poker at all, were any help. "I just chased some crackhead into the bathroom because Matt thought it might have been him because he gave him a head nod," lamented Depaulo as they called it a night to continue the search the next day.
"If we find him at this point, it would be fifty cents per step. That's a good job," joked Depaulo. "We've lost hope, I'm going to play this $500," and Depaulo hopped into a tournament at the Venetian. Time was running out. As the clock ticked past the midnight deadline, the bounty-hunting team had to admit defeat as they were unable to track down their target in time. That's when Slow Poker texted Depaulo.
"New phone, who dis? I'm ripping the wig off at the Wynn," texted Slow Poker. So close, yet so far. Slow Poker stayed out of Depaulo's grasp long enough to lock up the win. Meanwhile, Depaulo was running deep in his tournament.
After four in the morning, Depaulo chopped with the remaining players with his flight only a few hours away. He cashed for nearly $15k, saving his trip and leaving with a profit.
Depaulo, you and the team may not have found the Runner this time. But, if you ever decide to sit out of the poker and gambling worlds, we think your bounty-hunting chops are impressive. Who knows, maybe we'll send another Runner into your world in the future. A bounty-hunting vlog would be incredible. Plenty of space for Parkour and "Dogs of the Vlog."
Check out Depaulo's full vlog here.
